IFA 2012: Hottest tech you need to own

Best in show from the Berlin tech showcase

TDK Life on Record Wireless Boombox

Former cassette specialists TDK has unveiled a slew of new retro-styled speaker setups with this updated boombox our pick of the best. Sporting a 2.1 stereo speaker configuration, a built-in rechargeable battery means it’s park-friendly and with Bluetooth AAC streaming can now deliver near-lossless audio from your mobile device. Other specs include a 3.5mm input, USB charging port and a carry handle if you don’t fancy putting it on your shoulder like you've just walked out of Breakdance.

Price: $399.95 | Release date: TBC

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Sennheiser MOMENTUM headphones

Delivering stellar sound is simply not enough for this style-conscious world we now live in and having realised that very thing, Sennheiser has served up its latest headphone collection that is more about looking the part. There’s little detail on the tech nestled inside, but headbands and earpads are made from soft leather and English tannery Pittards with a 3.5mm cable that hosts an integrated remote and mic which make the MOMENTUM headphones iPhone friendly.

Price: £259.99 | Release date: Mid September

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Yamaha YSP-4300 Soundbar

If your current home cinema setup lacks an audio roar, Yamaha reckons its latest soundbar offering should help amplify your viewing with 7.1 surround sound. Using Intellibeam technology to bounce sound beams around the room, the subwoofer and bar setup uses AirWired2 technology for delay free sound and the ability to wirelessly send tunes from your Mac, PC or iOS device to put it into party action. There’s also a FM tuner also on board and it can be wall mounted if space is currently at a premium.

Price: £1299.95 | Release date: Winter 2012

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Philips Fidelio X1 headphones

We loved the L1 cans, and now the X1s are the latest member of the sleek Fidelio headphone range that are designed for serious sound sessions in the home. Built from metal and calf leather, the deluxe headphones also feature memory foam ear pads and velour cushion material so you can expect equal amounts of style and snugness around the ears. Two 50mm neodymium drivers and the acoustic open back architecture will deliver the audio clarity and true treble that will justify the pricetag we expect for these premium headphones.

Price: TBC | Release date: TBC

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LG TM2792 Personal TV

If your modest living abode can not accommodate a hulking 84-inch television, this more bedroom-friendly 27-inch telly from LG might be more suitable. Featuring LG’s sleek CINEMA SCREEN with a narrow bezel, the full HD set boasts Smart TV support, and SmartShare to share content between laptops, smartphones and hard drives plus DLNA, Wi-Fi and WiDi connectivity. Despite it’s relatively small stature, the TM2792 delivers CINEMA 3D technology and 3D Sound Zooming which will enhance the third dimensional experience.

Price: TBC | Release date: September 2012

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ZTE Grand X IN

Following in the footsteps of the Orange Santa Clara and the Lenovo K800, ZTE is the latest mobile maker to unleash a smartphone powered by Intel’s Atom processor Z2460 and Hyper-Threading technology that should deliver quick browsing and overall rapid performance. Running on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich the latest addition to the Grand family measures in at 9.9mm thick and has a 4.3-inch QHD 960x540 screen. In the camera department there’s an 8-Megapixel rear-facing and 0.3-Megapixel front-facing snapper with the ability to shoot and play 1080p video. A 1,650 mAh capacity battery doesn’t sound all that impressive, but hopefully the Intel tech should help the Grand X IN make it through the day.

Price: TBC | Release date: TBC

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HP Envy x2 Hybrid

Post-TouchPad demise, HP has decided to embrace Windows 8 and a QWERTY keyboard dock. Powered by an Intel Atom “Clover Trail” processor with 64GB of SSD storage, the 11.6-inch Envy x2 that can work as a laptop and a tablet sports a 1366 x 768 resolution IPS display and will have Beats Audio and NFC on board like the Spectre with a rear-facing 8-Megapixel camera and a HD webcam to take care of video chats. With so many hybrid devices outed, the Envy x2 may just have the looks and the specs to stand out from the crowd.

Price: TBC | Release date: TBC

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Dell XPS Duo 12

One of the biggest trends of IFA this year has been the surge of tablet and ultrabook mash-ups and keen not to be left out, the Duo 12 is another hybrid Windows 8 device but with a twist. Featuring a glossy full HD touchscreen with tough Corning Gorilla Glass and a aluminium and carbon fibre chassis, a flip hinge mechanism let’s you swivel the screen vertically from within the frame so you can choose between ultrabook and tablet modes. Here’s hoping it fares better than Dell’s last hybrid laptop/tablet outing…

Price: TBC | Release date: Before end of 2012

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Samsung ES9500 OLED TV

We’ve come along way since Sony’s bedroom-sized OLED offering from a few years ago, and now you can get a richer, more colourful picture in bigger 55-inch screen surroundings. Aside from deeper blacks and the impressive contrast ratio, prospective owners can expect faster response time compared to LCD sets which will eliminate motion blur and with Samsung’s Multi-View you can watch two different programmes on the same screen via the included 3D glasses that also have integrated headphones to avoid the leaking sound of Walford’s finest.

Price: TBC | Release date: TBC

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Loewe Invisio

Gimmick from afar, the German TV-maker believes its transparent set could be the stylish future of home entertainment. Still at the prototype stages, the 46-inch display is being built with the help of Samsung and combines LCD and OLED technologies to enable the glass panel to deliver a bright, vibrant picture to match its unique looks. When put into standby mode, the Invisio will then simply blend into the background like it's not even in the room. Well, almost...

Price: TBC | Release date: TBC

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Sony Xperia T

Previously going by the name Xperia Mint, the Xperia T has now been made official and becomes Sony’s latest flagship smartphone. Hosting a hulking 4.6-inch HD Reality Display, the Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich handset features a 13-Megapixel with full 1080p HD video recording capabilities and 720p HD front camera. A 1.5GHz dualcore processor should handle all your multitasking and multimedia needs and with the PlayStation Certified stamp can play a host of PS One classic amongst other gaming goodies.

Price: TBC | Release date: TBC

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Sony Xperia S tablet

Having unveiled its first S tablet at IFA last year, Sony has given its latest slate the Xperia branded makeover, making it thinner (8mm) and lighter than its predecessor. Running on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and powered by a NVIDIA Tegra 3 quadcore processor, the Tablet S also hosts a 9.4-inch 1280x800 IPS OptiContrast display and Sony’s ClearAudio+ technology making it suitable surroundings for watching movies. There’s an 8-Megapixel rear-facing camera and 1.0-Megapixel front-facing snapper both which shoot in HD, while other notable specs include SD card support and a 10 hour play time courtesy of a 6,000 mAh capacity battery.

Price: TBC | Release date: September 2012

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Sony Vaio Duo 11

Leaked prior to Sony’s IFA press conference, details have now been firmed up for the hybrid ultrabook and tablet that will be the first of many convertible devices running on Windows 8. Measuring in at 17.85mm thin, the Duo 11 hosts an 11.6-inch full HD OptiContrast panel which uses capacitive touchscreen technology do give you full control. Powered by Intel’s latest Core processors there is plenty of connectivity on board with Bluetooth, USB 3.0, HDMI, Ethernet and VGA video ports and if you haven’t had enough of the current stylus love-in it will also support Sony’s digitizer stylus pen making it a handy tool for business folk.

Price: TBC | Release date: End of October 2012

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Sony Vaio Tap 20

Taking a leaf out of Apple’s sleek home computing book, the Tap 20 is a touchscreen tabletop PC that plays nice with Windows 8 and is portable enough to cart around the house. Hosting a 2-inch multi-touch panel with a Bravia Engine 2 you can expect a typically bright, clear screen while ClearAudio+ means it’s the perfect place to watch video and play games. Lastly, it supports NFC which means you can transfer photo and music from other Sony devices.

Price: TBC | Release date: End of October 2012

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LG L9

Joining the already announced Optimus G is the latest smartphone instalment in LG's L Series which features a 9.1mm slender form factor and a sleek metallic shell. Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, the L9 hosts a 4.7-inch IPS LCD display to deliver optimum brightness and will be powered by a 1GHZ dualcore processor and 1GB of RAM. There’s a 5-megapixel rear-facing snapper and a VGA front-facing camera on board while LG has tweaked its interface to introduce an instant translation app called the QTranslator and the My Style Keypad which adjusts depending on whether you are one or two-hand typist.

Price: TBC | Release date: TBC

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LG Optimus G

Set to take on the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the iPhone 4S, the Optimus G has been officially announced ahead of its likely IFA 2012 showing and is set to pack a rather meaty specs. Powered by a S4 Pro 1.5GHz quadcore processor along with 2GB of RAM, the Optimus G will also incorporate LG's groundbreaking integrated touchscreen. At just 8mm thick, the impressive sounding smartphone will sport a 1280x768 True HD display which had been tipped for the iPhone 5 and will pack a 13-Megapixel camera with battery life that should offer over 800 cycles. The disappointing news is that it will run on Android 4.0, and not Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and will land in Korea first with no details on a UK launch just yet.

Price: TBC | Release date: TBC

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LG Optimus Vu 2

The original LG phablet has yet to land in the UK and now the follow-up, the Optimus Vu 2 has been officially unveiled in Korea. The device is set to be the world's first device to feature QRemote that will give you control of all of your devices scattered around the house. Infrared functionality aside, the only other details revealed by LG about the Optimus Vu 2 is that will launch in its homeland next month at the same time as the original Vu with its new quadcore processor power launches globally.

Price: TBC | Release date: TBC

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Samsung Galaxy Player 5.8

Samsung's latest iPod Touch rival has now been officially unveiled after specs and images of the device were recently leaked confirming that it will indeed host a monstrous 5.8-inch 960×540 qHD display. Other specs hoping to steal in on Apple's PMP dominance include Android's 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support and a VGA front-facing camera. The Samsung PMP will be available 16GB and 32GB models, but there’s no details as to pricing or when we can get our hands on it.

Price: TBC | Release date: TBC

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LG's UD 3D TV

Ultra Definition? Check. 4K? Check. 3D? Check. LG’s world’s first UD 3D TV hopes to blow you away with its 84-inch 3840x2160 resolution screen thanks to LG’s Triple XD Engine and deliver 8 million pixels per frame. There’s CINEMA 3D tech on board to deliver that truly immersive viewing experience and 2.2 Speaker System made up of two 10W speakers and two 15W woofers to blast out the sound. Smart TV support means you also have access to 1,400 apps and content when there is nothing on the box.

Price: TBC | Release date: September 2012

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Panasonic TX-L60ET5 60-inch TV

Having normally flexed its muscle in the plasma telly domain, Panasonic has now officially announced its largest LED TV ever. The super bright 60-inch IPS panel that deliver full HD also supports the same passive 3D that you can enjoy at the cinema with the four pairs of 3D specs packed in the box. There's also access to Panasonic's Smart TV platform and the ability to browse on the web over Wi-Fi.

Price: £1,999.99 | Release date: September 2012

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Sony XBR-84X900 Bravia 4K TV

If you like your tellies large, Sony's gigantic 84-inch might just be of interest. Hulking screen size aside, the 4K LCD set will deliver passive 3D playback and boasts a 10-driver speaker system.Delivering 4 times the resolution of Full HD standard, it also comes armed with Sonye's X-Reality PRO’ super-resolution high picture quality engine, which enables users to reproduce a variety of content - including movies, TV programs, photos and games to 4K quality. If you've got a Sony tablet or smartphone at hand, you;ll also be able to use the mobile device to change the channel if you've lost the remote.

Price: TBC | Release date: October 26th

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ASUS Vivo Tab

Jumping aboard the Windows 8 bandwagon, ASUS is following up its success with the Android-powered Transformer range with its first hybrid tablet which will run on Microsoft’s sleek new OS. Following in the metallic finish footsteps of the Transformer Pad Infinity, the Vivo Tab features a similar keyboard dock to give the device extra battery life and hosts a 10.1-inch Super IPS+ screen. A NVIDIA Tegra 3 quadcore processor and 2GB of RAM will should also ensure that you have no problem multitasking your way to a promotion.

Price: TBC | Release date: October 26th

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Samsung Galaxy Camera

The last minute rumours it seems were spot on as Samsung unveiled its 16.3-Megapixel snapper that it hopes will let you capture that perfect picture. The specs helping you achieve pictorial perfection include a 21x optical touch zoom lens, a 23mm aperture lens for wide angle shots, and Samsung’s Smart Pro’ tech to give photos a more professional look. Everything can be viewed on a 4.8-inch 308ppi HD Super Clear Touch Display while you’ll have the power of a 1.4GHz quadcore processor, sharing capabilities over 3G and 4G, and the slick Android 4.1 Jelly Bean operating system to rely on making this a seriously impressive compact camera.

Price: TBC | Release date: TBC

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Samsung Galaxy Note 2

Ultimately the star of the ‘Unpacked’ show, Samsung’s new phablet wants you to get creative using a bigger 5.5-inch screen, a more accurate S-Pen and a host of new stylus-friendly features. Taking design inspiration from the Samsung Galaxy S3 with more curved edges, the Note 2 will run on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and has ramped up the processing power to a quadcore chipset with 2GB of RAM to handle new multitasking features such as PopUp Note and Web which will let you run two applications on the same screen just like the Galaxy Note 10.1.

Price: TBC | Release date: October 2012

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Samsung ATIV S Windows Phone 8 smartphone

Part of its new ATIV range (yes, that’s VITA spelt backwards) Samsung’s family of Windows 8-packing devices also includes its first handset to run on Windows Phone 8. Tipped to land around the October 26th release date slated for the computing OS, the ATIV S is just 8.7mm thick and features an aluminium chassis which hosts a 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display with Corning Glass 2 to make it tough to break. Running on a 1.5GHz dualcore processor, there’s an 8-Megapixel rear-facing camera and 1.9-Megapixel front facing one with MicroSD card support to expand on the 16GB or 32GB internal storage. If you are a Windows Phone fan, this is clearly a smartphone you need to keep an eye on.

Price: TBC | Release date: October/November 2012

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Samsung NL22B transparent displays

Samsung might be facing a few innovative obstacles in the mobile world, but it looks like the Korean manufacturer will be bringing something unique to an Apple-free zone with its first transparent display. Expected to feature a built-in PC, speakers, LED bar and a protective glass, the see-through screens are not expected to be available to buy for consumers, but you can expect to stare at one in your nearest shopping centre in the future.

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Philips HomeCooker

Fronted by pukka TV chef and school dinners crusader, Jamie Oliver has joined forces with Philips to prove that you can knock up a healthy meal in next to no time. Stirring and cooking your grub at the same time, your hands are now free to dedicate some time elsewhere in the kitchen. It will ensure you have the right cooking temperature at all times and for slow cooked dishes with extra accessories that include a pasta insert, steaming basket and tray. Now who doesn’t like a gadget with add-ons?